by Christina L Quach, Kevin Lind, and Megan Millette A direct quote from Hammill that summarizes the purpose for his article was written, “Research indicates that people communicate based on their generational backgrounds. Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits, and motivational characteristics. Learning how to communicate with the different generations can eliminate many major confrontations and misunderstandings in the workplaces and the world of business.” (1)
Many people wrote about their experiences with generational differences, and everyone wrote about what they got out of the article. Main focuses were respect and collaboration. It seemed that many people were in agreement that communication was the key to both respect and collaboration. Key words and terms that people used to describe the approaches they will use included: adaptable, flexible, collaboration, communication, facilitating, discussing, open-minded, respect, appreciation, and diversity. What is important is figuring out the balance between generations because the outcomes will affect your students. Take the time to get to know your colleagues because it can only benefit everyone.
One thing brought up by one person and explained by only one other was to not generalize by these separations of generations. Just because many people fit into these groups does not mean that everyone does. It is important to remember that there are exceptions. If you generalize you may find yourself in a situation that is just as bad as completely ignoring the differences of members in generation.
I know that the piece of this article that affects me the most is the fact that there is a clear communication gap between the different generations. Earlier today, I was watching the movie Clueless and this idea became incredibly evident to me. The lingo use in the film must have seemed really cool to say in the early 90s, but some of the things the character say seems absolutely ridiculously to our generation. Even if we aren’t fully capable of understanding what the new generation is talking about, we should still respect what their views are. One of the communication pieces that really struck me was the inclusion of how a Generation Xer might talk to an employee who is a boomer. It’s very interesting to me because I’ve never considered the fact that anyone would rather work to get ahead, instead of taking a vacation with their family. This is a clear representation of how the thinking between our generations varies greatly. It seems to me that getting time away would be the greater reward, but one of my co-workers could view this scenario in a very different way. As interesting and informative as this article is, I still have to complain about the introduction. The Kennedy example is insulting to members of Generation Y. To suggest that none of us knows anything about the Kennedy family is essentially saying we don’t [[#|study]] history. Beyond that, I would say that the vast majority of people, regardless of generation, would say the shooting in Dallas.
Christina L Quach
This article was about how people from different generations view things differently. Of course everyone views things differently, but the focus here was the different ideals that came with four separate generations. The list was [[#|Veterans]] (1922-1945), Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), and Generation Y (1981-2000). In his article, Mixing and Matching Four Generations of Employees, Greg Hammill wrote, “Research indicates that people communicate based on their generational backgrounds. Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational [[#|buttons]]. Learning how to communicate with the different generations can eliminate many major confrontations and misunderstandings in the workplace and the world of business (1).” I thought this was a perfect summary of what one should take away from this article. He then went on to discuss examples of how different generations interact with each other. Two important points Hammill made was to consider these generational differences, but he also made a brief point about how not everyone fell into all characteristics of a generation. Although it was not discussed much in his article I believe it is important to balance the two. It is good to understand the differences and why people of different age groups think differently, but it is also equally important to not generalize just because they were born during a certain time period. The great thing about working with people from different generations is that with respect and appreciation for their knowledge and opinions, there are so many ideas to work with. Collaborating with people who have different ideas and opinions is important as an educator because that type of diversity is needed in schools today.
Megan Millette
This article made light of the age diversity within a workplace, multiple generations of the same family for example. This is something I have seen at my summer job and did not register before. I work at a little store and one family has three generations working there. However, though I have seen this before I had not given it much thought. After reading this article, I found myself pondering the idea of many different ways to communicate amongst generations. It is fairly accurate that the baby boomers are the ones who work hard; where as, the newer generations procrastinate much more. It was very interesting to read about the many differences among these generations.
As I start teaching, I must remember that I will be seeing this happen as I discuss with colleagues who are from one generation and teach students from another. Many students will have different situations at home and their many guardians will range in the generation they are from. I must remember the key areas of communication when I am teaching, remaining patient with those of different generations because we all just want the same for the students. There will be various ways in which faculty, students, parents, guardians, and colleagues will wish to communicate due to which generation they are, and I will have to keep this in mind. This article was very helpful in reminding me of the realization that there are many generations present and they are all unique. It has helped me brainstorm ideas of ways in which I can handle this in my classroom.
Jenn Chick
One of the things I liked about this article is that it gave a concrete way of looking at each generation, despite how unlikely it is that these aren't just generalizations. However, having a concrete way to look at the generations that are around today gives me a starting place when working with any one of the four generations. Another thing I appreciated was that they focused on how this related to a business or work situation, but how the qualities that were distinguished could apply to parent/guardian and teacher interactions as well. As a teacher I will need to know how to appropriately respond and communicate with a variety of generations, and I felt like this article was a good place to start looking at how to do that. Understanding that some generations are more likely to respond well to hard copies, or that some are likely to prefer situations with less rules and structure adds another helpful component into how I need to approach being adaptable and flexible.
I also appreciated the article focusing on the differences between how money and balance between work and family are approached. As a teacher, these will likely be the two components that affect my students most. Regardless of generation, it is the people, the public, who are the ones to vote on the resources, funding, and structure of the school. If I am in a community where the majority of the voters are savers, it is something to keep in mind when presenting them with options of where their taxes can go. As far as the balance between work and family, I feel like it is obvious. If students are living with someone from a generation that believes in all work, no play, then they will probably be expected to perform in a similar manner, and it is unlikely that their guardian will be open-minded to anything but school work that seems to present important benefits for future careers.
_
Meng Hardy
This article was very interesting because it shed light on a topic that is very familiar to all of us. We can all relate to the traits of various generations, through our own experience or observation. However, I never came to understand or appreciate that those traits are not personal but generational. The work habits or work ethic is a huge issue nowadays because of the differences that set the Gen X and Gen Y and other two generations apart. Veterans and Baby Boomers work to live and they pride themselves in that work ethic. On the other hand, Gen X and Gen Y like to keep work and personal/family life separate, and they try to balance both. The communication media and style are so unique to each generation, but nobody solely belongs to just one generation based on the birth year. I expect to communicate through a mix of formal/informal, and in person/digital means with all of my colleagues in the future that are defined by their ages. My concern is about the balance of work ethic. How will people feel, especially in the education field, that the new teachers maintain a 7 to 2 schedule when the veteran teachers are in school from 7 to 4 or 5? Can the new teachers be excused because they are Gen Y, so they are keeping their balance between work and personal lives? Or can we just say it is poor work ethic based on the veteran teachers’ value, standard, and way of organizing their work and lives?
Daniel Kiley
It’s amazing to think that there are four generations all working together, each grouping bringing different feelings and ethics. The major point of this article is to figure out how to create a positive experience instead of clashing with people of different views. To me, in order to grow and be productive in any situation that [[#|deals]]__ with generational gaps is to remember the common goal as a unit, not an individual. As teachers, our goal should be geared towards our students, so the intent should be to help them, regardless of how we approach it. That being said, it is important to communicate with individuals and voice opinions about what’s working and what’s not in a polite manner, and learn from different ideals. When you can empathize and see where someone is coming from, you grow and learn new tools that can be implemented, even if you put your own twist on them to make it work for you.
When dealing with people and choices, the creed I live by is “You can’t be right if you’re wrong.” That’s how I approach every situation, and that’s how I hold people accountable for their actions. If I were to tell someone that their method of teaching is wrong and detrimental, I would be in the wrong. I would need to fully understand the situation, where their values lie, before I could make a judgment call, and even then I would talk about suggestions or what I know works for me. Nothing is absolutely true or right, so when people work together and put all their thoughts and attitude together in a positive fashion, only good will come, regardless of how rocky the road is.
Rachel Joiner
I found this article to be extremely interesting, and helpful in many ways. I never really considered that because of people being from different generations they would act in certain ways, or communicate differently. I think this is important to recognize as we move forward into our teaching careers. Now we are all mostly from the same generation, and communicate and think in very similar ways. However when we move into the professional world of schools, we will be communicating and interacting with other teachers and staff from multiple generations, dealing with parents, grandparents, and guardians from a variety of generations, as well as teaching students in another generation. I think these are all important things to keep in mind when interacting with people, and consider them when working with others. I was amazed at how many situations or problems could be explained away by a simple generational difference. It never occurred to me that the way I think or act is a product of my generation and others may not feel the same way. I liked the idea mentioned in the article, about spending some time getting to know others and their preferred methods of communication. I think this is a great idea, especially for teachers. It could be used at the beginning of the year to send out feelers to both students and guardians and poll their preferred method of communication. By communicating with one guardian in one way or another in a different way, it could mean the difference between getting through to the guardian and simply being ignored. I thought this article was interesting, and contained many ideas that would be helpful in the rest of my professional career.
[[#|Dynamics]] between colleagues of different generations is an interesting topic that I had not explored before. One of the most important aspects of this article in my idea that generational differences effect communication. Not only do different generations have different modes of communication that work best for them, different generations are apt to interpret the meaning behind the message differently depending on their work style. In the past, I’ve had difficulty communicating with teachers via email and had observed that especially with older teachers, it is not always the most effective way to communicate. Compounding the generational difference with other factors such as organization and personality, dynamics on a large staff could be very challenging. Setting expectations for staff collaboration and communication, similar to how teachers set expectations with their students, would be particularly helpful in facilitating effective collaboration.
Teachers have an interesting [[#|job]] because they are required to collaborate in certain situation and also must be very self reliant and be able to manage their own classroom independently. Based on the charts in the article about work styles, it seems like classroom management styles of teachers would closely resemble the work style of their generation. The implications of this on students (who have their own developing generational styles) would be interesting to compare, especially in secondary education where students may have teachers from distinctly different generations in the same year.
Tyler Oren
Hammill begins by trying to illustrate some of the differences between the four generations, Hammill explains that while certain reactions and interactions between individuals of differing generations could be misunderstood as dismissive, condescending, or plain rude. Instead, Hammill writes that these exchanges actually are representative of a different set of core values that have been adopted by the individual as a result of the zeitgeist they grew up within. Hammill chooses to tackle the issue of generational diversity and creating a functional working climate in the midst of generational diversity. Hammill describes an example of how office relations can break down between members of different generations because of disparate methods of communication and productivity. Hammill suggests that when working with a generationally varied group of individuals, which extends to any group of people, that first the group must come to a consensus concerning means of communication and how the group should function by assigning roles and discussing how they would prefer to work. Hammill writes that when assigning positions to individuals to consider who they will be working under and with. Hammill suggests that supervisors should be assigned to members of a preceding generation, for example a member of generation X should probably be working under a a veteran or boomer, as Hammil asserts that the reverse can result in animosity between the two. While this may not always be possible or practical Hammil suggest doing so whenever the option appears. While Hammill’s words are not specifically meant for the field of education many or his suggestions can still be applied to it. In most cases the teacher will represent an earlier generation than their students, and their students will likely all be from the same generation, the lesson to communicate fully and understand each other’s goals and methods is still highly applicable.
Johnny Buys
Intergenerational Inheritance: Claiming and Rejecting Inheritance
Schools collide generations. While the article focuses on the collision of generations in the work place as a relatively new phenomenon, the classroom has always fostered and combined intergenerational dialogue and interactions. The article surveys some of the key characteristics of each generation. Resoundingly accurate for the most part, the article briefly mentions the greyness of an individual’s particular generational identity. Due to the narrow scope of the article, it did not capture the creation of these generational identities which can atone for the nature of generational inheritance.
The hypothesis of the generational identity believes that depending on the generation in which an individual participates develops collective characteristics and values. We can capture the results, but the formation is what is fascinating. Yes, as new teachers we will no doubt be working and interacting with individuals who are members of Generation Y, Generation X, Boomers, and in some cases even “Veterans.” These relationships will have different focuses, attitudes, ideals, and expectations for work which are vital to understand for an effective workplace atmosphere. That being said, as a teacher of the next generation and hopefully subsequent generations to follow, I am curious how to anticipate the developmental process for a generations collectivity.
Significant events, cultural (especially media) ingestion, political and social movements, and advancing technologies will all play a role. It is significant to point out to that different generations will be reacting to various other intergenerational contact as well. Just as parenting styles and authority figures will transfer some patterns that will be adopted or rejected by the their children or others, teachers and their students will participate in this dynamic of acceptance and rejection, of inheritance and disassociation. While the future is only so predictable (for example while we cannot assume what exact technological advances will be made that could change communication, we can assume technology will change communication), we can begin to reflect as “Millennials” what characteristics and values our children and students will respond to. For example, Generation Y members are very driven by social justice but also demand instant gratification. Our demeanor and values in the classrooms as educators will be foundational to how the next generation reacts to these traits.
Understanding our workforce is important for our present; preparing the next generation is the security of our future.
Kaitlyn Bukauskas
The article “Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees” by Greg Hammill brings to light a new issue in the United States. For the first time four different generations are working alongside one another in the workplace. These generations consist of the veterans, baby boomers, generation X, and generation Y groups. The conflicts that may arise from these age groups working together include misunderstandings and frustrations at work based upon individuals working together who differ so vastly in their core values, work ethic, ideas, and means of communicating. The work place etiquette has been different for each of the generations when they entered the work place in a traditional sense that the older members were the bosses and the younger employees typically did as they were told. Today the roles are scattered among various age groups, and the dynamic between employees, as well as employee to manager or boss, is changing.
The article suggests that people often communicate in ways that are based upon their generational background. Each of the generations has a particular way of dealing with change, a way of motivating and being motivated, managing, attitudes, and ideas. The veterans generation is categorized as being a group who’s core values include discipline, conformity, and hold a traditional viewpoint. Contrasting this is the generation Y, which is categorized as being a group with core values based upon fun and social aspects, and who is influenced heavily by the media. Individuals from these groups working together are an example of co workers who may have clashing habits or ideas, and may result in miscommunications or frustration.
Hammill suggests that individuals understand which generation they are a part of and learn about their own and other generation characteristics when approaching a work environment. By becoming familiar with and considering the values, characteristics, and lifestyles of different generations, and individual may be better prepared to approach coworkers in a more efficient way. This article holds true in the setting of a school environment. A new teacher would be working alongside teachers of a wide age range, as well as collaborating with parents and guardians of students who will also fall into different generational categories. The characteristics for each generation will not necessarily apply to every individual who falls within that age range, but the overall message of being understanding of one’s background, culture, and ways of thinking is a crucial piece of collaboration and working together in an effective way. A message with good intentions may not land if it is being delivered to someone in a way that he or she is not receptive to.
Kalib Moore
I found the Generation's Article to touch on very similar themes as my summer job at home. I work at a hotel resort on the coast of Maine that has over one hundred employees spanning across the four generations. Though only a very small minority of staff comes from the Veteran's generation, the few that do fit the descriptions in the article perfectly. The staff members that came to mind specifically are two older gentlemen who have worked and lived at the resort for over fifty years and have lived specifically in that area of Maine for their entire lives. They currently work as repairmen to the resort because they are proficiently skilled craftsmen and because they know the resort property better than anyone else. It is clear they are from the Veteran's generation because they take their repairmen job very seriously. They are the first two up on the resort property working in the morning and they work rigorously throughout the day with discipline, just as the article says people of their generation will.
As a future educator, I realize that my coworkers will span across many generations just like my summer job. I will have to learn to work with people who most certainly think different than me as well as teach differently. It is important that I remain open-minded in terms of working with teachers of different generations. Though I may think the way I teach is the better or more successful strategy, it is only fair to learn how older generations of teachers plan for classes and how they handle it.
Cheyenne McCarthy
The article, titled Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees, by Greg Hammill discusses generational differences in the workplace. The generations discussed in this article are the Veterans, the Baby Boomers, and generations X and Y. Each generation has different values and ideas as well as different ways of communicating and getting things done. The article poses the question that, although these differences have always existed within the workplace, why is it such a serious problem now?
I didn’t realize that this is the first time in American history that four different generations are working side-by-side. I think this article brought up a very important idea; we must understand who we are before we can understand other generations. Looking at the multiple tables given in this article it is clear to see how generations are so different and why ideas and values would affect all four generations trying to work together. Upon looking at the charts I viewed each generation’s values and found that although I am labeled as Generation Y, I do not believe the values listed 100%. Yes, many are pretty accurate in describing my values and ideas, but some don’t. I think that there is a stigma above every generation that everyone can see except the person who is classified as that specific generation. (If that makes sense.) So Generation Y thinks they are the bee’s knees and Baby Boomers are just too old school, while the Baby Boomers think they are actually the bee’s knees and Generation Y is ill-prepared or unknowing.
When it comes down to it, what this article is saying and the charts that are shown is just a stepping stone. It is important to know the values and ideas of each generation, but we should try to refrain from categorizing individuals. These charts would be useful in the workplace and in meetings, but what I think would be even more beneficial is to have the generations discussing things and working together, trying to get to know each other. I don’t think we can all learn to work together without actually doing the action and being together, discussing concerns and what works, things like that.
Lauren Breton
I found this article very interesting because I rarely think about the differences between generations in the work place. Although I’ve worked with members of several different generations at the same time before, and I’ve acknowledged the tension that can ensue from that particular situation, I’ve never really stopped to consider why that tension occurs. Most of the time, I think that I tend to write it off as older people being “old-fashioned”, which is partially true. This article, however, made me realize that it is more than that. Older people don’t dislike computers just because they are “old-fashioned”, it’s because they are used to communicating more directly and place a higher value on hand-written communication. Also, whenever I hear people from other generations talking about how they can’t believe that cursive isn’t being taught in some schools anymore, it isn’t because they believe that cursive is integral to curriculum or is better than learning how to write in print, it is simply because they are used to having to have proper, legible penmanship because that is how their inter-office memos were created, whereas my inter-office memos are sent via e-mail. When I think about it this way, I am much more understanding of why people from the older generation make comments about my handwriting being “sloppy” or “confusing” whereas members of my generation seem to think that it is actually quite neat handwriting. This article also has helped me to reflect upon how my mom, who is on the line between Baby Boomers and Generation X, is really focused on me saving money, whereas I tend to think of money as something that you earn so that you can spend it, rather than stockpiling it.
Table of Contents
Summary
by Christina L Quach, Kevin Lind, and Megan MilletteA direct quote from Hammill that summarizes the purpose for his article was written, “Research indicates that people communicate based on their generational backgrounds. Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits, and motivational characteristics. Learning how to communicate with the different generations can eliminate many major confrontations and misunderstandings in the workplaces and the world of business.” (1)
Many people wrote about their experiences with generational differences, and everyone wrote about what they got out of the article. Main focuses were respect and collaboration. It seemed that many people were in agreement that communication was the key to both respect and collaboration. Key words and terms that people used to describe the approaches they will use included: adaptable, flexible, collaboration, communication, facilitating, discussing, open-minded, respect, appreciation, and diversity. What is important is figuring out the balance between generations because the outcomes will affect your students. Take the time to get to know your colleagues because it can only benefit everyone.
One thing brought up by one person and explained by only one other was to not generalize by these separations of generations. Just because many people fit into these groups does not mean that everyone does. It is important to remember that there are exceptions. If you generalize you may find yourself in a situation that is just as bad as completely ignoring the differences of members in generation.
Hyperlinks:
http://www.pbs.org/speak/words/sezwho/slang/This link allows one to see the idea of slang. It also shows how slang has changed over time and the significance of this.
Kevin Lind
I know that the piece of this article that affects me the most is the fact that there is a clear communication gap between the different generations. Earlier today, I was watching the movie Clueless and this idea became incredibly evident to me. The lingo use in the film must have seemed really cool to say in the early 90s, but some of the things the character say seems absolutely ridiculously to our generation. Even if we aren’t fully capable of understanding what the new generation is talking about, we should still respect what their views are.
One of the communication pieces that really struck me was the inclusion of how a Generation Xer might talk to an employee who is a boomer. It’s very interesting to me because I’ve never considered the fact that anyone would rather work to get ahead, instead of taking a vacation with their family. This is a clear representation of how the thinking between our generations varies greatly. It seems to me that getting time away would be the greater reward, but one of my co-workers could view this scenario in a very different way.
As interesting and informative as this article is, I still have to complain about the introduction. The Kennedy example is insulting to members of Generation Y. To suggest that none of us knows anything about the Kennedy family is essentially saying we don’t [[#|study]] history. Beyond that, I would say that the vast majority of people, regardless of generation, would say the shooting in Dallas.
Christina L Quach
This article was about how people from different generations view things differently. Of course everyone views things differently, but the focus here was the different ideals that came with four separate generations. The list was [[#|Veterans]] (1922-1945), Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), and Generation Y (1981-2000).
In his article, Mixing and Matching Four Generations of Employees, Greg Hammill wrote, “Research indicates that people communicate based on their generational backgrounds. Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational [[#|buttons]]. Learning how to communicate with the different generations can eliminate many major confrontations and misunderstandings in the workplace and the world of business (1).” I thought this was a perfect summary of what one should take away from this article. He then went on to discuss examples of how different generations interact with each other.
Two important points Hammill made was to consider these generational differences, but he also made a brief point about how not everyone fell into all characteristics of a generation. Although it was not discussed much in his article I believe it is important to balance the two. It is good to understand the differences and why people of different age groups think differently, but it is also equally important to not generalize just because they were born during a certain time period.
The great thing about working with people from different generations is that with respect and appreciation for their knowledge and opinions, there are so many ideas to work with. Collaborating with people who have different ideas and opinions is important as an educator because that type of diversity is needed in schools today.
Megan Millette
This article made light of the age diversity within a workplace, multiple generations of the same family for example. This is something I have seen at my summer job and did not register before. I work at a little store and one family has three generations working there. However, though I have seen this before I had not given it much thought. After reading this article, I found myself pondering the idea of many different ways to communicate amongst generations. It is fairly accurate that the baby boomers are the ones who work hard; where as, the newer generations procrastinate much more. It was very interesting to read about the many differences among these generations.
As I start teaching, I must remember that I will be seeing this happen as I discuss with colleagues who are from one generation and teach students from another. Many students will have different situations at home and their many guardians will range in the generation they are from. I must remember the key areas of communication when I am teaching, remaining patient with those of different generations because we all just want the same for the students. There will be various ways in which faculty, students, parents, guardians, and colleagues will wish to communicate due to which generation they are, and I will have to keep this in mind. This article was very helpful in reminding me of the realization that there are many generations present and they are all unique. It has helped me brainstorm ideas of ways in which I can handle this in my classroom.Jenn Chick
One of the things I liked about this article is that it gave a concrete way of looking at each generation, despite how unlikely it is that these aren't just generalizations. However, having a concrete way to look at the generations that are around today gives me a starting place when working with any one of the four generations. Another thing I appreciated was that they focused on how this related to a business or work situation, but how the qualities that were distinguished could apply to parent/guardian and teacher interactions as well. As a teacher I will need to know how to appropriately respond and communicate with a variety of generations, and I felt like this article was a good place to start looking at how to do that. Understanding that some generations are more likely to respond well to hard copies, or that some are likely to prefer situations with less rules and structure adds another helpful component into how I need to approach being adaptable and flexible.
I also appreciated the article focusing on the differences between how money and balance between work and family are approached. As a teacher, these will likely be the two components that affect my students most. Regardless of generation, it is the people, the public, who are the ones to vote on the resources, funding, and structure of the school. If I am in a community where the majority of the voters are savers, it is something to keep in mind when presenting them with options of where their taxes can go. As far as the balance between work and family, I feel like it is obvious. If students are living with someone from a generation that believes in all work, no play, then they will probably be expected to perform in a similar manner, and it is unlikely that their guardian will be open-minded to anything but school work that seems to present important benefits for future careers.
_
Meng Hardy
This article was very interesting because it shed light on a topic that is very familiar to all of us. We can all relate to the traits of various generations, through our own experience or observation. However, I never came to understand or appreciate that those traits are not personal but generational. The work habits or work ethic is a huge issue nowadays because of the differences that set the Gen X and Gen Y and other two generations apart. Veterans and Baby Boomers work to live and they pride themselves in that work ethic. On the other hand, Gen X and Gen Y like to keep work and personal/family life separate, and they try to balance both.
The communication media and style are so unique to each generation, but nobody solely belongs to just one generation based on the birth year. I expect to communicate through a mix of formal/informal, and in person/digital means with all of my colleagues in the future that are defined by their ages.
My concern is about the balance of work ethic. How will people feel, especially in the education field, that the new teachers maintain a 7 to 2 schedule when the veteran teachers are in school from 7 to 4 or 5? Can the new teachers be excused because they are Gen Y, so they are keeping their balance between work and personal lives? Or can we just say it is poor work ethic based on the veteran teachers’ value, standard, and way of organizing their work and lives?
Daniel Kiley
It’s amazing to think that there are four generations all working together, each grouping bringing different feelings and ethics. The major point of this article is to figure out how to create a positive experience instead of clashing with people of different views. To me, in order to grow and be productive in any situation that [[#|deals]]__ with generational gaps is to remember the common goal as a unit, not an individual. As teachers, our goal should be geared towards our students, so the intent should be to help them, regardless of how we approach it. That being said, it is important to communicate with individuals and voice opinions about what’s working and what’s not in a polite manner, and learn from different ideals. When you can empathize and see where someone is coming from, you grow and learn new tools that can be implemented, even if you put your own twist on them to make it work for you.
When dealing with people and choices, the creed I live by is “You can’t be right if you’re wrong.” That’s how I approach every situation, and that’s how I hold people accountable for their actions. If I were to tell someone that their method of teaching is wrong and detrimental, I would be in the wrong. I would need to fully understand the situation, where their values lie, before I could make a judgment call, and even then I would talk about suggestions or what I know works for me. Nothing is absolutely true or right, so when people work together and put all their thoughts and attitude together in a positive fashion, only good will come, regardless of how rocky the road is.
Rachel Joiner
I found this article to be extremely interesting, and helpful in many ways. I never really considered that because of people being from different generations they would act in certain ways, or communicate differently. I think this is important to recognize as we move forward into our teaching careers. Now we are all mostly from the same generation, and communicate and think in very similar ways. However when we move into the professional world of schools, we will be communicating and interacting with other teachers and staff from multiple generations, dealing with parents, grandparents, and guardians from a variety of generations, as well as teaching students in another generation. I think these are all important things to keep in mind when interacting with people, and consider them when working with others.
I was amazed at how many situations or problems could be explained away by a simple generational difference. It never occurred to me that the way I think or act is a product of my generation and others may not feel the same way. I liked the idea mentioned in the article, about spending some time getting to know others and their preferred methods of communication. I think this is a great idea, especially for teachers. It could be used at the beginning of the year to send out feelers to both students and guardians and poll their preferred method of communication. By communicating with one guardian in one way or another in a different way, it could mean the difference between getting through to the guardian and simply being ignored. I thought this article was interesting, and contained many ideas that would be helpful in the rest of my professional career.
Hammill, G. (2005). Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees. FDU Magazine. Retrieved from
http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm.
Mel Christensen
[[#|Dynamics]] between colleagues of different generations is an interesting topic that I had not explored before. One of the most important aspects of this article in my idea that generational differences effect communication. Not only do different generations have different modes of communication that work best for them, different generations are apt to interpret the meaning behind the message differently depending on their work style. In the past, I’ve had difficulty communicating with teachers via email and had observed that especially with older teachers, it is not always the most effective way to communicate. Compounding the generational difference with other factors such as organization and personality, dynamics on a large staff could be very challenging. Setting expectations for staff collaboration and communication, similar to how teachers set expectations with their students, would be particularly helpful in facilitating effective collaboration.
Teachers have an interesting [[#|job]] because they are required to collaborate in certain situation and also must be very self reliant and be able to manage their own classroom independently. Based on the charts in the article about work styles, it seems like classroom management styles of teachers would closely resemble the work style of their generation. The implications of this on students (who have their own developing generational styles) would be interesting to compare, especially in secondary education where students may have teachers from distinctly different generations in the same year.
Tyler Oren
Hammill begins by trying to illustrate some of the differences between the four generations, Hammill explains that while certain reactions and interactions between individuals of differing generations could be misunderstood as dismissive, condescending, or plain rude. Instead, Hammill writes that these exchanges actually are representative of a different set of core values that have been adopted by the individual as a result of the zeitgeist they grew up within.
Hammill chooses to tackle the issue of generational diversity and creating a functional working climate in the midst of generational diversity. Hammill describes an example of how office relations can break down between members of different generations because of disparate methods of communication and productivity. Hammill suggests that when working with a generationally varied group of individuals, which extends to any group of people, that first the group must come to a consensus concerning means of communication and how the group should function by assigning roles and discussing how they would prefer to work.
Hammill writes that when assigning positions to individuals to consider who they will be working under and with. Hammill suggests that supervisors should be assigned to members of a preceding generation, for example a member of generation X should probably be working under a a veteran or boomer, as Hammil asserts that the reverse can result in animosity between the two. While this may not always be possible or practical Hammil suggest doing so whenever the option appears.
While Hammill’s words are not specifically meant for the field of education many or his suggestions can still be applied to it. In most cases the teacher will represent an earlier generation than their students, and their students will likely all be from the same generation, the lesson to communicate fully and understand each other’s goals and methods is still highly applicable.
Johnny Buys
Intergenerational Inheritance: Claiming and Rejecting Inheritance
Schools collide generations. While the article focuses on the collision of generations in the work place as a relatively new phenomenon, the classroom has always fostered and combined intergenerational dialogue and interactions. The article surveys some of the key characteristics of each generation. Resoundingly accurate for the most part, the article briefly mentions the greyness of an individual’s particular generational identity. Due to the narrow scope of the article, it did not capture the creation of these generational identities which can atone for the nature of generational inheritance.
The hypothesis of the generational identity believes that depending on the generation in which an individual participates develops collective characteristics and values. We can capture the results, but the formation is what is fascinating. Yes, as new teachers we will no doubt be working and interacting with individuals who are members of Generation Y, Generation X, Boomers, and in some cases even “Veterans.” These relationships will have different focuses, attitudes, ideals, and expectations for work which are vital to understand for an effective workplace atmosphere. That being said, as a teacher of the next generation and hopefully subsequent generations to follow, I am curious how to anticipate the developmental process for a generations collectivity.
Significant events, cultural (especially media) ingestion, political and social movements, and advancing technologies will all play a role. It is significant to point out to that different generations will be reacting to various other intergenerational contact as well. Just as parenting styles and authority figures will transfer some patterns that will be adopted or rejected by the their children or others, teachers and their students will participate in this dynamic of acceptance and rejection, of inheritance and disassociation.
While the future is only so predictable (for example while we cannot assume what exact technological advances will be made that could change communication, we can assume technology will change communication), we can begin to reflect as “Millennials” what characteristics and values our children and students will respond to. For example, Generation Y members are very driven by social justice but also demand instant gratification. Our demeanor and values in the classrooms as educators will be foundational to how the next generation reacts to these traits.
Understanding our workforce is important for our present; preparing the next generation is the security of our future.
Kaitlyn Bukauskas
The article “Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees” by Greg Hammill brings to light a new issue in the United States. For the first time four different generations are working alongside one another in the workplace. These generations consist of the veterans, baby boomers, generation X, and generation Y groups. The conflicts that may arise from these age groups working together include misunderstandings and frustrations at work based upon individuals working together who differ so vastly in their core values, work ethic, ideas, and means of communicating. The work place etiquette has been different for each of the generations when they entered the work place in a traditional sense that the older members were the bosses and the younger employees typically did as they were told. Today the roles are scattered among various age groups, and the dynamic between employees, as well as employee to manager or boss, is changing.
The article suggests that people often communicate in ways that are based upon their generational background. Each of the generations has a particular way of dealing with change, a way of motivating and being motivated, managing, attitudes, and ideas. The veterans generation is categorized as being a group who’s core values include discipline, conformity, and hold a traditional viewpoint. Contrasting this is the generation Y, which is categorized as being a group with core values based upon fun and social aspects, and who is influenced heavily by the media. Individuals from these groups working together are an example of co workers who may have clashing habits or ideas, and may result in miscommunications or frustration.
Hammill suggests that individuals understand which generation they are a part of and learn about their own and other generation characteristics when approaching a work environment. By becoming familiar with and considering the values, characteristics, and lifestyles of different generations, and individual may be better prepared to approach coworkers in a more efficient way. This article holds true in the setting of a school environment. A new teacher would be working alongside teachers of a wide age range, as well as collaborating with parents and guardians of students who will also fall into different generational categories. The characteristics for each generation will not necessarily apply to every individual who falls within that age range, but the overall message of being understanding of one’s background, culture, and ways of thinking is a crucial piece of collaboration and working together in an effective way. A message with good intentions may not land if it is being delivered to someone in a way that he or she is not receptive to.
Kalib Moore
I found the Generation's Article to touch on very similar themes as my summer job at home. I work at a hotel resort on the coast of Maine that has over one hundred employees spanning across the four generations. Though only a very small minority of staff comes from the Veteran's generation, the few that do fit the descriptions in the article perfectly. The staff members that came to mind specifically are two older gentlemen who have worked and lived at the resort for over fifty years and have lived specifically in that area of Maine for their entire lives. They currently work as repairmen to the resort because they are proficiently skilled craftsmen and because they know the resort property better than anyone else. It is clear they are from the Veteran's generation because they take their repairmen job very seriously. They are the first two up on the resort property working in the morning and they work rigorously throughout the day with discipline, just as the article says people of their generation will.
As a future educator, I realize that my coworkers will span across many generations just like my summer job. I will have to learn to work with people who most certainly think different than me as well as teach differently. It is important that I remain open-minded in terms of working with teachers of different generations. Though I may think the way I teach is the better or more successful strategy, it is only fair to learn how older generations of teachers plan for classes and how they handle it.
Cheyenne McCarthy
The article, titled Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees, by Greg Hammill discusses generational differences in the workplace. The generations discussed in this article are the Veterans, the Baby Boomers, and generations X and Y. Each generation has different values and ideas as well as different ways of communicating and getting things done. The article poses the question that, although these differences have always existed within the workplace, why is it such a serious problem now?
I didn’t realize that this is the first time in American history that four different generations are working side-by-side. I think this article brought up a very important idea; we must understand who we are before we can understand other generations. Looking at the multiple tables given in this article it is clear to see how generations are so different and why ideas and values would affect all four generations trying to work together. Upon looking at the charts I viewed each generation’s values and found that although I am labeled as Generation Y, I do not believe the values listed 100%. Yes, many are pretty accurate in describing my values and ideas, but some don’t. I think that there is a stigma above every generation that everyone can see except the person who is classified as that specific generation. (If that makes sense.) So Generation Y thinks they are the bee’s knees and Baby Boomers are just too old school, while the Baby Boomers think they are actually the bee’s knees and Generation Y is ill-prepared or unknowing.
When it comes down to it, what this article is saying and the charts that are shown is just a stepping stone. It is important to know the values and ideas of each generation, but we should try to refrain from categorizing individuals. These charts would be useful in the workplace and in meetings, but what I think would be even more beneficial is to have the generations discussing things and working together, trying to get to know each other. I don’t think we can all learn to work together without actually doing the action and being together, discussing concerns and what works, things like that.
Lauren Breton
I found this article very interesting because I rarely think about the differences between generations in the work place. Although I’ve worked with members of several different generations at the same time before, and I’ve acknowledged the tension that can ensue from that particular situation, I’ve never really stopped to consider why that tension occurs. Most of the time, I think that I tend to write it off as older people being “old-fashioned”, which is partially true. This article, however, made me realize that it is more than that. Older people don’t dislike computers just because they are “old-fashioned”, it’s because they are used to communicating more directly and place a higher value on hand-written communication. Also, whenever I hear people from other generations talking about how they can’t believe that cursive isn’t being taught in some schools anymore, it isn’t because they believe that cursive is integral to curriculum or is better than learning how to write in print, it is simply because they are used to having to have proper, legible penmanship because that is how their inter-office memos were created, whereas my inter-office memos are sent via e-mail. When I think about it this way, I am much more understanding of why people from the older generation make comments about my handwriting being “sloppy” or “confusing” whereas members of my generation seem to think that it is actually quite neat handwriting. This article also has helped me to reflect upon how my mom, who is on the line between Baby Boomers and Generation X, is really focused on me saving money, whereas I tend to think of money as something that you earn so that you can spend it, rather than stockpiling it.